UPDATE: Tim Lincecum explains why he stayed with the SF Giants

Tim Lincecum passed his physical and he signed his two-year, $35 million contract.

We just had a conference call with Lincecum and team officials. Some highlights, in the order we discussed them:

Lincecum basically said the Giants made him an offer he couldn’t refuse by pushing so hard to get it done quickly.

“When they made the push it was hard for me not to respond,” Lincecum said. “The relationship kept pushing until it found us sitting here at two years, $35 million, and I’m really, really, really happy about that.”

Lincecum expressed confidence that he can succeed again, saying the Giants have “the right tools to make a push. Those are things you look for going to an organization. When you’re already plugged into one, you don’t have took too far to see what they’ve done, and that’s what I did with them.”

Lincecum said “familiarity” was a factor, “a lot of things here I’ve already grown to like. Other places, I might not necessarily have a connection with. I’m not sure if I’m necessarily ready for that on a professional level.”

In one of his more interesting comments, Lincecum said his struggles the past two seasons helped prod him to return.

“The last couple of years, with a collective 4.5 ERA, that’s not the way you want to go out,” he said. “That’s not the kind of guy I am. I looked at this as an opportunity to do something big in the same uniform.

“I know I didn’t have a great year, but I know I have the confidence I’m where I need to be.”

Asked about going home and playing for the Mariners, Lincecum said that’s something he might like to do toward the end of his career. His quote was, “I wasn’t ready for that kind of jump.”

On why he’s confident he’ll improve again in 2014: “Every year is kind of a springboard to the next. At the same time there’s a reset button. That gives me a lot to gauge and build perspective. With everything I’ve learned the last couple of years, that gives me the confidence that things are going to be a little easier and I don’t have to worry so much what I have to do, the differences. They were pointed out in games I did well. It’s hard not to fall back on those as examples to help me get out of this so-called hole I’m in. I’m excited about that prospect.”

Assistant general manager Bobby Evans said the final numbers on the deal were close to what the club anticipated and added, “Yes, we do have the flexibility to look outside the organization for outside options to solidify the rotation.”

But he cautioned that pitchers (and positions players) tied to draft compensation through qualifying offers would be problematic.”

The signing already has drawn criticism around baseball,up not only for its size but the perception that it was ownership-driven because Lincecum is so popular and he sells a lot of tickets and merchandise.

Giants president Larry Baer denied that, saying, “This was targeted as a baseball signing because of Tim’s performance. Everybody on the baseball side who was evaluating it said this was the right thing for the Giants to keep the rotation strong and keep the team’s chances of winning strong, with all he’s capable of doing and all he’s done over the years.

“Hey,” Baer said, “Timmy is a very popular guy. I don’t want it misinterpreted that this was done because he’s popular. It was done because he can excel and get us to where we need to be in the future.”